Many building structures are supported above ground level, or above grade. For example, many homes in coastal areas and regions susceptible to flooding are supported above grade in order to position the home at a height sufficient to reduce the risk of damage from flooding. Recent destructive storms have prompted governmental agencies to focus on the risks associated with flooding for building structures. For example, following Hurricane Sandy in 2012, the United States Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) updated its Advisory Base Flood Elevation (ABFE) information. The ABFE information identifies the minimum recommended elevation that a building structure must be above sea level.
Building codes have been updated to take account of FEMA's updated ABFE information, and impose construction requirements relating to the minimum elevation for a building structure. The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) has also updated its insurance requirements and rates based on FEMA's updated ABFE information. These changes to building codes and insurance programs impact existing building structures and new building structure construction. For example, an owner of an existing building structure may be required to elevate the building structure in order to qualify for or receive a lower rate for flood insurance under the NFIP. And a prospective owner of a new building structure will be required to have the building structure constructed so that it is at an appropriate elevation above sea level.
Various support structures have been used to elevate building structures, but they tend to suffer from various drawbacks, and these drawbacks can become magnified when trying to accommodate higher flood elevation requirements.